False Ascension
by FtDLulz
Summary: As two ships battle above a planet, a heretic flees to the surface...and discovers more than meets the eye... (Hiatus)
1. The Calm Before the Storm

Disclaimer: Nothing Halo related belongs to me except for my original characters and the plot line.

This is my first fanfiction. Don't expect perfection. Please R&R, motivate me to make more if you like this! Give me some constructive criticism, so I can make the story better!

_Italics: _Means it is a ship name, or a character's thoughts.

**Bold:** Means it is a special name\word or other importance.

* * *

**Chapter 1: Calm before the Storm**

**UNSC:** Private Don Mckay

**Location:** Unknown Planet

Private Don McKay was doing what he normally did for a month now; guard. Apparently there was an outpost that they needed to keep protected. Why was it so important to guard that they needed over 90 marines? Why was it so important to keep the place out of enemy hands? Most importantly, why was it in a desert, of all places! McKay didn't know. All he knew was that there was no sign of any Covenant activity in the area for months now, besides in space. And it was boring.

The outpost they were guarding had everything you could want in a military base: a cafeteria, cell block, sleeping quarters, and other non-essential things. It also had a science lab, and an underground shelter.

Made up of metal, it couldn't survive much, but was cheap and could last.

"Why do we have to guard here anyway?" his friend, Private Harper muttered.

"I have no idea, but this is most boring job in the world," McKay said.

"Sure is," Harper agreed. "I'm tempted to ask for transfer to the front lines."

"Yeah, but you know you could never survive long, with those brutes and all."

"Beats here."

"_Anywhere_ beats here, Harper."

"Nah, rather be here than on _The Raven_."

_The Raven _was a frigate positioned above the planet, and it was taking fire from the Covenant ship _Holy Ascension_. The UNSC frigate was faring well, thanks to recent battles causing the Covenant ship to malfunction. The _Holy Ascension _was taking damage to the hull and would not last much longer.

* * *

**Covenant:** Major Ado 'Ronosee

**Location:** Covenant Cruiser, _Holy Ascension_

Major Domo Ado 'Ronosee was aboard the _Holy Ascension _when they retreated from a human colony via slipstream. The ship was badly damaged, but it was odd that the Ship Master made a blind jump.

"Well, I didn't want to die before I could get this information out." 'Ronosee muttered to himself.

Unknown to anyone aboard the ship besides himself, he had talked to an Oracle after his squad was wiped out by heretics. It came as a shock to 'Ronosee when he found out that the Prophets were spitting out lies for as long as the covenant came to be. _I need to get to the hangars._ Unfortunately the hangars were off-limits unless you had the Fleet Master's permission. _It looks like I am going to have to do this the hard way. _

'Ronosee quickly ran through the hallways, passing many grunts and jackals. Oddly he didn't come across many elites. As he neared the armory he overheard two elites talking. He peeked around the corner

"You heretic scum! I'll make your death slow and painful!" A major was talking to a minor.

"The Great Journey is a lie, and I can prove it! I found Forerunner artifacts stating that the ring is a weapon, not some device to become a god!"

The major had his plasma rifle pointed at the minor's head, but was blasted in the head by Ado. The minor turned and looked at Ado.

"Follow me brother! I'm making my way to the hanger to steal a phantom!" Ado yelled.

"Sure thing, I need my gear though. My shield generator needs a recharge."

When he got to the armory, he stole an energy sword, a carbine, and some grenades. The elite took a needler, and grenades. He also recharged his shield. He then ran back to the hanger entrance, with the other elite.

As they were running, they talked.

"What is your name?"

"Zeeno Marzee" the elite replied.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Ado 'Ronosee."

When they got to the hanger doors, they were greeted by two guards.

"Halt! You cannot come through without the Fleet Master's permission!" one of the guards said. "He gave me clear orders to scout this planet's surface," 'Ronosee lied. "Then why hasn't he informed us?" The guards raised their plasma rifles, albeit too late. 'Ronosee had already pulled out his sword and stabbed one through both of his hearts, purple blood streaming out. The other guard started firing on Zeeno, but his shields took the shots. He easily shot the other one with painful pink needles. They were running to a phantom when four grunts led by an elite burst in and started firing on them. They quickly jumped in a phantom and lifted off. The file's small arms fire did nothing against the armor of the phantom.

"Take the guns and blast those generators, Zeeno!" Ronosee shouted.

Zeeno quickly targeted the hanger door's shield generator and fired. It exploded in a fiery blue ball. They then sped towards the planet's surface.

* * *

**UNSC:** Private Don Mckay

**Location:** Unknown Planet

"Hey McKay, have family back home?"

"My wife and my son, you?"

"Yeah, same."

McKay turned to look at another marine.

"How about you, Martie?" McKay asked.

"They were on Reach." Martie spoke sadly.

"Oh...I'm so sorry."

"It's fine."

The conversation died down, and Mckay went to the cafeteria.

He got some food and sat down at one of the tables. Harper sat down next to him.

"At least the food is good," Harper said, enthusiastic.

"Yeah, not like those MREs." McKay said with distaste.

"Well, be glad we have something to do around here."

"We do?"

"Yeah," Harper said excitedly.

He pulled out a deck of cards.

Mckay was surprised, "How long have you had those, Harper?"

"The Captain gave them to me yesterday, she had an extra deck."

McKay grunted in approval.

"Well, be sure to let the boys know so we can play sometime. And thank the Captain for me, will ya?"

"Sure thing, when I'm off my shift we'll play."

They finished their meals in silence.

McKay dumped his tray into the garbage and walked outside. The guards were alert.

One of the marines shouted, "Sergeant, there's a phantom approaching, it's crash landing two klicks away from our position!"

"Shoot it down."

"But sir, there's only two lifeforms on it! And it was shot by a plasma battery!"

"That's strange. Corporal, get a search team out there."

"Yes sir!"

* * *

**Covenant:** Major Ado 'Ronosee

**Location:** Phantom approaching an Unknown Planet

Ado 'Ronosee was shot at by a plasma battery just as he left the hanger.

He sped up to as fast as the phantom could go, but the plasma was still gaining on him.

_This isn't going to end well..._

The phantom shuddered as the plasma hit and burned away the hull. They took breathers off the wall and put them on, just in case the plasma burned all the way through. Luckily the cruiser stopped attacking them, most likely thinking it wasn't worth the effort, needing all it's guns focused on the human ship.

They heard a rumble as the phantom shook.

"What was that?" Zeeno shouted.

"No idea, I'll go check!"

As he ran to the cockpit, he noticed something.

He ran back to Zeeno and shouted, "The propulsion is malfunctioning!"

"We're screwed!"

The phantom was speeding towards the surface as he tried to slow it's decent. It was useless; the propulsion was completely gone. They was going to die.

The phantom shook as it trailed smoke and fire.

The surface was getting closer...

Closer...

An explosion was heard.


	2. The Crash

Disclaimer: Nothing Halo related belongs to me except for my original characters and the plot line.

_Italics(With quotes): _Radio Chatter.

* * *

**Chapter 2: The Crash**

**UNSC: **Private Don McKay

**Location: **Unknown Planet

Private Don McKay and his friend Harper were part of the 5 man scout team. They got to the dropship as soon as it crashed.

"Should we check it out, Sarge?" McKay asked.

"Yes, but keep your eyes ready, safety off."

Three marines including McKay approached the side of the dropship where the troop bay door was.

Suddenly the troop bay door burst open. The marines all pointed their weapons at it.

An Elite tumbled out, unconscious. "My god..."

A marine walked up to it and kicked it. The elite was bleeding from three places; his arm, his leg, and his chest.

The marine walked into the dropship and came out looking a bit green.

"What's the matter soldier?" Sarge shouted.

"There's...there's guts and blood everywhere!" He said as he vomited.

He wiped his mouth and said, "Smells like an animal crawled in there and died. Add that to the smell of blood."

"Should we kill it?" McKay asked as he looked down at the wounded elite.

"No, let's bring 'em in. Why would the Covenant fire on their own guys? We need the info this elite has."

"Private, get him in the warthog!"

"Yes sir!" Harper said.

Harper lifted up the heavy elite with McKay's help and put him in the warthog.

They mounted up and drove back to base.

"How do you feel about having an elite right next to you, WITHOUT you trying to kill it?" McKay asked.

"I feel like I should point my gun and start spraying."

The elite was tended to; the bleeding was stopped and some shrapnel was pulled out. Then they locked him up and chained him in a cell.

"He's lucky; three more inches and that shrapnel would have gone into his head."

"He's lucky we didn't kill him." McKay replied.

* * *

**Covenant: **Major Ado 'Ronosee

**Location: **Unknown Planet, UNSC Outpost

'Ronosee slowly started waking up. He blinked a couple of times; his vision was blurred.

Where was he? 'Ronosee moaned in pain but tried to get up. He couldn't. His legs and arm were restrained, minus one arm.

_My leg hurts worse than ever._

His vision cleared and he could see he was in a human base.

He looked around. His cell was barred, with no windows and a bed too small for an elite. A tray of food was set on the bench next to him. He started to eat, but stopped before he took a bite. _This could be poisoned. But then again, if they wanted me dead they would have killed me in the crash. _So he started to eat something that looks like beef. There was also some green things. _Looks like beans. _He finished and then sighed. How long was he going to be in here?

After what seemed like hours, a marine walked up to the cell door.

"Good, you're awake." McKay said.

"Where am I?" 'Ronosee growled.

"Don't you talk to me like that, split-lip."

"I demand info!"

"You aren't in a very good position to be making demands, but okay." "You're in a UNSC Outpost, your ship crashed two klicks away, and we brought you here."

'Ronosee looked at his wounds and noticed he was bloody

"I assume you didn't make me prisoner to exchange pleasantries."

"Why did you come down here, and why did your own ship shoot at you?"

"Why would I tell filth like you?"

"Because your 'Covenant' hates you."

"So? Why would that matter?"

"Think about it like this; wouldn't you assume that they lied about us? How we are 'vermin' that need to get eradicated?" McKay said.

"I...never thought about that..."

"Well, start thinking."

"Very well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt." Ado sighed and started telling him everything from since he heard about the lies to the point where he blacked out.

"We found a mangled corpse with blood everywhere and a piece of metal stabbing through it's chest. Was that your friend?"

"We weren't friends, we barely met!"

"I'll take that as a yes."

The two were silent for some time until gunshots were heard outside.

"What's the commotion Sarge?" McKay radioed.

"_Covies landed two dropships and four ghosts just outside the base!" _

"I'll be right there!"

"Covies just outside the base, I'll be right back."

As McKay ran off, screams could be heard.

* * *

**UNSC: **Private Don McKay

**Location: **Unknown Planet, UNSC Outpost

McKay grabbed a BR55 from the armory and a couple of clips. He also grabbed a M6C and two grenades, then rushed outside.

There was Covenant everywhere.

A scream was heard as a marine fell from a plasma shot near the shoulder. He died as the plasma burned through to his heart. three elites, five brutes, twenty-four grunts and nine jackals were outside

unloading plasma on the marine positions. McKay could smell metallic blood, smoke from gas operated assault rifles, and fumes from plasma guns. He fired his Battle Rifle, hitting a grunt in the chest. Blood squirted out of his head. A blue light flew through the air and landed near four marines. They didn't even have time to yell as the plasma grenade covered their bodies in a blue explosion, red flying out. A carbine shot whizzed by his head. He turned to his right and fired a burst at the jackal, hitting it in the head. Two elites fell by a frag grenade thrown by a marine just as a pink needle hit him in the eye. He went down as the needle exploded, dead before he could hit the sand.

"We need a scorpion tank!" The sergeant yelled desperately through the radio.

"_Roger that, ETA two minutes."_

A wraith appeared in the distance, shelling the marines and leaving scorch marks where they hit, sand turning to glass.

"Corporal, get up there with two others and take out that wraith!"

The corporal took an M41 SSR Rocket Launcher and went around the battle, charging the wraith. Once in range, he fired. The rocket hit the wraith dead on, but it wasn't powerful enough to kill. Another rocket was fired, and that did it. There was an elite and seven grunts left.

A grunt pulled out two grenades and dove behind the marine's cover as the grenades detonated, taking out another five marines with it. A sniper shot the elite in the leg, wounding it. The marines mopped up two more grunts, and while the elite was on the ground, sprayed a clip into it. As the corporal ran back to base, he sent a rocket into the last three grunts, blowing them sky high.

The battle finished up, marines victorious. Blood and bodies were everywhere.

The marines put their weapons on their back.

"The rest of you, clean up these bodies."

"That tank didn't get here in time; oh well, we can use it anyways."

McKay walked through the hallways and came to the cell block.

Ado's cell was open.


	3. The Escape

**Pre-Chapter Note: **This took a long time, mainly because of school and not having ideas for the story.

From now on, I will make one every weekend. Sorry!

Sorry about the length, I don't have much motivation or ideas besides myself!

Underlining: Sangheili or other language.

* * *

**Chapter 3: The Escape**

* * *

**Covenant: **Ado 'Ronosee

**Location: **Unknown Planet, UNSC Outpost

Ado 'Ronosee was cloaked, going through the base. He had a cloaking generator like Special Operation elites, but he couldn't have a shield at the same time, so he was unprotected. He made sure he would be hard to spot by staying in the shadows, only coming out if necessary. Marines and humans in special clothes walked past.

Ado was running to another side of a hallway when a marine came around the corner and ran into him.

* * *

**UNSC: **Private Don McKay

**Location: **UNSC Outpost

_I forgot to lock the cell when I put his food in! _McKay was furious at himself. He was running to the main office to report the break-out and ran into...air. Then he saw the tell tail signs of active camouflage. He pulled out his sidearm and started shooting. He hit Ado in the leg as the elite ran to cover.

"Drop your weapon and come with me, so I don't have to put a round into your head."

"Never." Ado snarled as he fired a plasma rifle that was laying in the armory, coincidentally close to the cell block.

"Why did I forget to lock it..." McKay muttered. But Ado heard it with his good hearing.

Ado snorted, "You are stupid."

Ado fired back with a plasma rifle that he had gotten from the armory. It came awful close to McKay's head, and he could feel the heat fly past his face, and could smell the plasma.

* * *

**Covenant: **Ado 'Ronosee

**Location: **UNSC Outpost

Ado was getting annoyed at how long this was taking when a shot grazed his helmet.

He shouted in surprise. "If I come quietly, will you chain me up?"

"Why would an elite like you give up?"

"I...thought about it."

He remembered the conversation they had, and thought it over. _I guess they would lie about that too. I've seen how they fight, and they do have some sense of honor._

"...Okay, I'll talk to the Sarge."McKay answered.

Ado dropped his weapon and came out as marines rushed in and raised weapons.

"Hold your fire." McKay commanded, "He surrendered."

McKay led the elite back to a cell, passing some marines that gave suspicious and hateful looks and put him in the cell, not chaining him this time.

He tried to question an elite they had brought in some time ago.

"What's your name?"  
"I'm not telling you, vermin." he growled.

"Would showing you to another elite convince you?"

He didn't answer, so McKay put Ado in the cell with him.

"Hello brother. What is your name?"

"Zeuk Nerusee."

"Well, I'm going to convince you that the Great Journey is a lie."

"I won't believe it for a second, heretic."

"The prophets lied to us! The Great Journey is not salvation; it wipes out all sentient life! All food for the flood! That's how the Forerunners died! Why else would they cast us out of the Covenant; we were becoming too smart for our own good!" Ado spoke with venom.

"No...that can't be true! You lie! Heretic!"

"If it isn't true, why did a 'holy oracle' tell me so? as he played a recording device of the monitor saying what the halos were.

The elite was too shocked to answer.

**XLR8ION**: **Perfect** review, loved how much detail you put into it, and what I should and should not do. I'll be writing the next chapters, keeping in mind your review, and have revised the older ones. Thanks again!

I decided to merge chapter four into chapter three, because this one was too short.

Listening to halo music really motivates me and gives me ideas!

_"I welcome you to my place of solitude, weary traveller, and I bid you take shelter within this temporary sanctuary from the oncoming storm that rages outside. May the blessings of the Truth Givers be upon you and your kin if you be Sangheili or human, and may their curses follow the treacherous Jiralhanae and San 'Shyuum for straying from the path the Gods set before us, and for their betrayal. The traitors have sown the seeds of their own destruction. And for them, it shall be a bitter harvest." -_Halo Wikia User '**Specops306'**

* * *

**Chapter 3, Part 2**

* * *

"That...that has to be fabricated!" The elite was confused and angry at the same time. "Why would the prophets lie to us!?"

"I don't have a clue," Ado said as he reverted to English.

"They had to have some reason!" the elite shouted as McKay walked in.

"They're crazy, that's why."

The two elites didn't have an answer to this.

**-Not complete, sorry!-**


	4. Unexpected Horror

There hasn't been an update because of lots of school work, and I'm not a very imaginative person.

Forgive me please!

**Chapter 4: Unexpected Horror**

Ado was released once he explained that he would not harm anyone, and that they wouldn't shoot him.

"Just remember; you shoot us, we shoot you." McKay said in a serious tone.

"I know that. Do you think I am stupid?"

"Yes."

"You little-"

"Don't even start!" Staff Sergeant Raymond spoke up.

Harper, McKay, Ado, and two privates were there.

McKay had an MA5C and M6D, Harper a BR55, and the two privates had outdated MA5Bs.

"Okay, so what's the next mission Sarge?"

"We're exploring an underground tunnel that we recently found. It's dark, so you'll ne-"

"_SARGE, CAN YOU HEAR ME?!_" The radio crackled.

"What's going on, soldier?"

"We've got contacts... Lot's of 'em... but they're not Covenant...they're just tearing through us...what the?!...ooooohhh...noooooo!" Corporal Lovik panicked.

"McKay, you take the elite and a squad and get down that tunnel on the double!" Sarge shouted.

"But, si-"

"I don't have time for your lip, soldier! I gave you an order!"

A squishing sound can be heard as they talk.

"Sarge! Listen!"

The sound is heard again.

"What is _that_?"

"Where's that coming from, elite?"

"I don't- over there!" Ado speaks up as large, bulbous creatures with tentacle legs fall, streaming down from a ceiling vent. A private screamed as they all fell on him.

"Open fire!" Sarge screams as plasma and bullets fly through the air.

The infection forms knock over chairs and a table trying to get to the three marines and sangheili.

"There's so many!" McKay yells.

Once they cleared out the room, there was green-ish blood everywhere, with the smell of burnt flesh.

"This is McKay. All forces, get on an evac bird, this outpost is lost."

"_Roger McKay, get on a dropship yourself._" A General radioed.

"Okay people, let's get to a dropship!"

As they ran through the corridors, they came across more balloon creatures came out of the vents and other holes.

"I'm running low on clips, I only grabbed three!" McKay said. They were using MA5Cs because of their power and accuracy.

"Try and pick up some whenever there's a body."

"There's so many bodies though!"

They finally got to a landing pad.

"Over there, a pelican!"

"Let's get outta here."

As they ran to the pelican, a flood of creatures that looked like mutated humans flooded out of where they came from.

"Run and gun, everyone!" McKay shouted.

They backpedaled and sprayed the combat forms with bullets and plasma. The other private tripped over a body. He tried to get up as a combat form loomed over him. He put his MA5B up to it's chest and pulled the trigger.

No bullets came out. He screamed.

Ado was shooting like crazy, left and right, but finally,his plasma rifle was depleted.

"I need another weapon!" he told them as infection forms came out of a vent behind them.

"Here!" McKay said as he tossed an M6D at him. The gun was so small he could barely hold it right. But he finally got his finger near the trigger as a combat form leaped at him. He shot a magazine into it's chest.

"That was the last one, scavenge for weapons and ammo."

McKay got two more mags for his MA5C, Harper got a MA5B and two mags, and Ado found a prototype BR56, which could shoot bullets that had plasma laced in them. When they pierced a target, the plasma burned it's way out of the bullet and melted an enemies' flesh. Because the bullets took longer to make, the clip size was reduced to 30, and the bullets didn't pierce more than one target.

They jumped aboard the pelican. McKay asked if Harper knew how to fly a pelican.

"More so than you!" He replied.

Harper went to the cockpit but quickly found out something that made his blood run cold.

"MCKAY!" He screamed, "THIS PELICAN IS BROKEN!"

"This complicates things..."

They were about to leave when the pelican radio crackled to life.

"_This is General Mayhood. I'm declaring code Hydra. All forces, get to landing pad D-6 for extraction."_

Code Hydra was a rarely used code, signifying imminent threat from biological weapons of mass destruction.

"That's three hangers away!" Harper said.

"Come on, let's go." McKay sighed.

"So have you got a plan to get out?" Harper asked.

"I was gonna shoot my way out. Mix things up a little." McKay replied.

"Yeah yeah, you and your bullets."

They walked out of the hanger, weapons up, but found no more of those creatures.

"Humph, odd, they're usually everywhere."

They climbed over corpses as they got to hanger D-5. Suddenly, the world came at them.

Millions of flood came at them from all three angles when they got to the intersection.

As the two marines were spraying down two of the hallways, Ado was melting flood coming down the third. The bullets hit a flood combat form and reduced it's chest area to melted liquid. Bullets were flying past the three combatants, and you could smell the smoke from the gun vents, the blood from the monsters, and the melting of flesh from the prototype. Whenever they needed to reload, there was a crate to take cover behind. As Harper was doing just this, a combat form cut a large gash out of his chest.

"NOOO!" McKay yelled as Harper died before he could hit the floor.

"We need to go. Now human!" Ado reminded him.

As they ran, tons of flood came at them, which in turn were mowed down.

They heard guns firing up ahead.

When they rounded the corner, they found the marines finishing up the last of the flood.

"Come on Corporal...and elite! Let's go!" The Lieutenant said.

They boarded the pelican as McKay asked, "Is this prototype pelican safe?"

The pelican was a D78-AT pelican, with a cannon replacing the chin gun, and rockets instead of missile pods. It was shorter though, and couldn't carry as many troops. Instead of the usual green paint, it had a sleek black paint job, with the letters **D78-AT** and **Foxtrot 146** scrawled on the sides in red.

"Perfectly, this baby has been tested countless times." The Lieutenant replied.

They all sat down as the back hatch closed. Ado, McKay, and most of the other marines took off their helmets.

"It's been a long day..."

Aboard the Covenant ship _Holy Ascension_, a message was broadcast across the ship.

"Kill the humans! Erase the stain of their existence! These vermin are no warriors. They are pathetic and weak! The heretic is assisting them! Bring him alive. I want his body hung and his entrails marched across the holy city."


	5. Pelican Down

I decided to incorporate some songs that I think fit a little bit. It's also my way of celebrating Black Mesa: Source's release after all these years. Get the soundtrack link on my profile!

Sorry for being so short, ran out of ideas.

**Chapter 5: Pelican Down**

* * *

**[Black Mesa Soundtrack - End Credits 1]**

It was night as they lifted off from the landing pad. McKay found a BR56, the finished product. It could hold 42 rounds, but had less plasma, so it did less firepower. They saw a pelican ahead of them, marked Delta 157 by the FoF tags, so the pilot decided to follow.

Two banshees came from the right and launched fuel rod bolts from their weapons at Delta 157.

One missed, but the other hit a forward thruster.

"Mayday, Mayday, this is Delta 157, we've been hit! Going down." The pilot of delta yelled as the pelican tilted hard to the left and crashed into a tree.

More fuel rods came from the ground, where some elites and grunts were sitting, right next to the crashed pelican.

"I was hoping for some backup when we touched down!"

Foxtrot 146 shot its chin-mounted cannon and hit a banshee square in the side of the cockpit.

The other banshee veered off, no doubt telling it's friends.

Foxtrot then shot some rockets at the ground forces, body parts went flying.

* * *

Corporal Maddock was alive in the burning pelican with only a head wound; he was lucky to be alive, and the only one at that.

He quickly grabbed an MA5C as he could hear Covenant outside.

"Of course, there HAS to be Covies right where we crash." He muttered to himself.

He jumped out of the pelican and quickly shot down two fuel rod wielding grunts and took cover behind some rocks.

A jackal shot green bolts of plasma at him. He quickly rolled to the side and shot it in the head.

He could see a pelican in the distance, probably following Delta before it crashed.

Two grunts decided to be brave and rushed him while shooting. He tossed a grenade at them, and it caused a chain reaction killing an elite and a jackal.

A white elite ran up to him from the side.

He sprayed it with bullets, but his effort was in vain.

It got right in front of him, grabbed him by the neck, pulled out an energy sword, and thrust it towards his gut in one swift move.

* * *

"No other hostiles in the area." The pilot said.

"Stay alert!" Lieutenant Marco replied.

McKay started up a conversation with the LT, Marco.

"I hate being in the air."

"You would hate being on the _Raven_?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. I would hate to be in the Navy. It's just not...me."

"You read my mind, my friend."

The pilot spotted a building in the desert, broken down, chunks of concrete missing, rebar sticking out, and probably abandoned. McKay could hear his conversation.

"Land near that building pilot, we can hole up there until evac."

"Roger that LT."

**[Black Mesa Soundtrack - On a Rail 1]**

As they landed next to the building, they could see dead bodies scattered around it, Human and Covenant alike.

"They must have holed up here before we came. They practically gave everything a new paint job!"

"Thanks for stating the obvious private." McKay replied.

They all bailed out and immediately brought up their weapons.

"At ease everyone, it's clear. Take any weapons and ammo you see." Marco ordered.

A private found a grenade, Ado some carbine clips, but not much else.

McKay found a specialized combat knife that was shiny black with a painted red tip. He swished it in the air a bit, then told a marine.

"Hey, check out this knife!" He said, gloating.

"Wow, looks awesome." The private replied half-heartedly.

"You know you're jealous!"

"Me? Jealous? No way man." He chuckled.

"Lets go men, get inside!" The LT commanded.

They went inside. Marines with marksman rifles like BR55 Battle Rifles, Designated Marksman Rifles, and 99D-S2 Sniper Rifles went up to the second story, Ado included. (A.N: I love technical names.)

They set up folding chairs from the pelican to make themselves comfortable.

**[Black Mesa Soundtrack - We've Got Hostiles]**

About five minutes later as McKay thought about his dead friend Harper, four banshees escorting two phantoms came in and started bombarding the building, making some of it fall onto a group of marines.

"We're under attack!"

"That was fast!"

"Oh god, there's tons!"

That was all McKay heard in the commotion before he couldn't hear anything else because of being in shock.

Two general elites dropped from the phantoms, one in each. They had concussion rifles, four plasma grenades, and an energy sword on their hip.

Behind them was about twenty major elites, all with carbines, needlers, and plasma rifles.

The marines were so shocked that they spent seconds just gawking at them.

And then, the elites charged as the marines opened fire.

Five marines each threw a grenade, which killed a total of about four elites.

The elites with carbines fired in sync, taking down seven marines in one volley. A marine with a rocket launcher fired at a general as it fired a fuel rod at the marine. They killed each other.

McKay snapped out of his stupor and fired bursts of his BR, taking down two elites. The snipers fired, each taking an elite, which totaled to be six kills.

One of the banshees shot a fuel rod at a couple of marines, vaporizing them.

A volley of carbine shots came from the second story, taking down an elite. McKay looked up and saw Ado.

That left eight elites.

But roughly, only five marines were left, including Ado Ronosee.

And then, by some unseen command, all the elites pulled out plasma grenades and chucked them at the building, some going in windows, others hitting the wall and falling.

One fell right beside McKay.

"This is gonna hurt!" He muttered as he ran as far away as he could. He could only hope that Ado made it out.

They all blew.


End file.
